Thirdhand Smoke Biomarkers Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
Abstracts
Initial Award Abstract |
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This subproject is part of a consortium of California researchers who are seeking to understand the risks of exposure to aged secondhand smoke, which has been termed "thirdhand smoke" (THS). Past studies have shown that secondhand smoke becomes more toxic as it ages. It is particularly concernful that levels of potent cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) called tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) increase as smoke ages. Studies carried out by this consortium have identified numerous toxic substances in THS, and that many of them persist in homes and other places for long periods after smoking has ceased. This third phase of the Consortium will focus on studies that are "translational" in nature, using the information from previous basic science studies, and applying this knowledge to studies that relate more directly to human health issues, and to remediation (detoxification) of THS contaminated homes, automobiles, and other places contaminated by THS. The researchers in this subproject are chemists who have been studying human exposure to toxic substances in tobacco smoke for many years. For this subproject they will continue to develop methods for measuring human exposure to toxic substances in THS, needed to augment those developed in the past. To assist in achieving the goals of the Consortium, they will analyze samples from studies carried out by researchers in other subprojects that will assess the toxicity of THS, and analyze samples from other subprojects to measure human exposure in real-world settings. These studies will expand our knowledge about the chemical nature of THS and its impact on public health. It is expected that the research carried out by this consortium will be useful in developing policies for protecting people from THS exposure, and will help in developing methods for detoxifying places contaminated by THS. |
